too much shoot Iroquois and June's people。 Must get his
scalp if can。〃
〃And I must save it if I can； June。 In this respect；
then； we are opposed to each other。 I will go and find a
canoe the instant they are all asleep； and quit the island。〃
〃No can June won't let you。 Call Arrowhead。〃
〃June！ you would not betray me you could not give
me up after all you have done for me？〃
〃Just so；〃 returned June； making a backward gesture
with her hand； and speaking with a warmth and earnest…
ness Mabel had never witnessed in her before。 〃Call
Arrowhead in loud voice。 One call from wife wake a war…
rior up。 June no let Lily help enemy no let Indian hurt
Lily。〃
〃I understand you； June； and feel the nature and jus…
tice of your sentiments； and； after all； it were better that
I should remain here； for I have most probably overrated
my strength。 But tell me one thing： if my uncle comes
in the night； and asks to be admitted； you will let me open
the door of the blockhouse that he may enter？〃
〃Sartain he prisoner here； and June like prisoner bet…
ter than scalp； scalp good for honor； prisoner good for
feeling。 But Saltwater hide so close； he don't know where
he be himself。〃
Here June laughed in her girlish； mirthful way； for to
her scenes of violence were too familiar to leave impres…
sions sufficiently deep to change her natural character。 A
long and discursive dialogue now followed； in which Mabel
endeavored to obtain clearer notions of her actual situa…
tion； under a faint hope that she might possibly be enabled
to turn some of the facts she thus learned to advantage。
June answered all her interrogatories simply； but with a
caution which showed she fully distinguished between
that which was immaterial and that which might endanger
the safety or embarrass the future operations of her
friends。 The substance of the information she gave may
be summed up as follows。
Arrowhead had long been in communication with the
French； though this was the first occasion on which he
had entirely thrown aside the mask。 He no longer in…
tended to trust himself among the English； for he had
discovered traces of distrust； particularly in Pathfinder；
and； with Indian bravado； he now rather wished to blazon
than to conceal his treachery。 He had led the party of
warriors in the attack on the island； subject； however； to
the supervision of the Frenchman who has been men…
tioned； though June declined saying whether he had been
the means of discovering the position of a place which had
been thought to be so concealed from the enemy or not。
On this point she would say nothing； but she admitted
that she and her husband had been watching the depar…
ture of the _Scud_ at the time they were overtaken and cap…
tured by the cutter。 The French had obtained their in…
formation of the precise position of the station but very
recently； and Mabel felt a pang when she thought that
there were covert allusions of the Indian woman which
would convey the meaning that the intelligence had come
from a pale…face in the employment of Duncan of Lundie。
This was intimated； however； rather than said； and when
Mabel had time to reflect on her companion's words； she
found room to hope that she had misunderstood her； and
that Jasper Western would yet come out of the affair freed
from every injurious imputation。
June did not hesitate to confess that she had been sent
to the island to ascertain the precise number and the oc…
cupations of those who had been left on it； though she also
betrayed in her _naive_ way that the wish to serve Mabel
had induced her principally to consent to come。 In con…
sequence of her report； and information otherwise ob…
tained； the enemy was aware of precisely the force that
could be brought against them。 They also knew the
number of men who had gone with Sergeant Dunham； and
were acquainted with the object he had in view； though
they were ignorant of the spot where he expected to meet
the French boats。 It would have been a pleasant sight to
witness the eager desire of each of these two sincere
females to ascertain all that might be of consequence to
their respective friends； and yet the native delicacy with
which each refrained from pressing the other to make
revelations which would have been improper； as well as
the sensitive； almost intuitive； feeling with which each
avoided saying aught that might prove injurious to her
own nation。 As respects each other； there was perfect
confidence； as regarded their respective people； entire
fidelity。 June was quite as anxious as Mabel could be on
any other point to know where the Sergeant had gone
and when he was expected to return； but she abstained
from putting the question； with a delicacy that would have
done honor to the highest civilization； nor did she once
frame any other inquiry in a way to lead indirectly to a
betrayal of the much…desired information on that particu…
lar point： though when Mabel of her own accord touched
on any matter that might by possibility throw a light on
the subject； she listened with an intentness which almost
suspended respiration。
In this manner the hours passed away unheeded； for
both were too much interested to think of rest。 Nature
asserted her rights； however； towards morning； and Mabel
was persuaded to lie down on one of the straw beds pro…
vided for the soldiers； where she soon fell into a deep sleep。
June lay near her and a quiet reigned on the whole island
as profound as if the dominion of the forest had never
been invaded by man。
When Mabel awoke the light of the sun was streaming
in through the loopholes； and she found that the day was
considerably advanced。 June still lay near her； sleeping
as tranquilly as if she reposed on we will not say
〃down；〃 for the superior civilization of our own times re…
pudiates the simile but on a French mattress； and as pro…
foundly as if she had never experienced concern。 The
movements of Mabel； notwithstanding； soon awakened one
so accustomed to vigilance； and then the two took a sur…
vey of what was passing around them by means of the
friendly apertures。
CHAPTER XXIII。
What had the Eternall Maker need of thee；
The world in his continuall course to keepe；
That doest all things deface？ ne lettest see
The beautie of his worke？ Indeede in sleepe；
The slouth full body that doth love to steepe
His lustlesse limbs； and drowne his baser mind；
Doth praise thee oft； and oft from Stygian deepe；
Calles thee his goddesse； in his errour blind；
And great dame Nature's hand…maide； chearing every kinde。
_Faerie Queene。_
The tranquillity of the previous night was not contra…
dicted by the movements of the day。 Although Mabel
and June went to every loophole； not a sign of the pres…
ence of a living being on the island was at first to be seen；
themselves excepted。 There was a smothered fire on the
spot where M'Nab and his comrades had cooked； as if the
smoke which curled upwards from it was intended as a
lure to the absent； and all around the huts had been re…
stored to former order and arrangement。 Mabel started
involuntarily when her eye at length fell on a group of
three men； dressed in the scarlet of the 55th； seated on the
grass in lounging attitudes； as if they chatted in listless
security； and her blood curdled as； on a second look； she
traced the bloodless faces and glassy eyes of the dead。
They were very near the blockhouse； so near indeed as to
have been overlooked at the first eager inquiry； and there
was a mocking levity in their postures and gestures； for
their limbs were stiffening in different attitudes； intended
to resemble life； at which the soul revolted。 Still； horri…
ble as these objects were to those near enough to discover
the frightful discrepancy between their assumed and their
real characters； the arrangement had been made with so
much art that it would have deceived a negligent observer
at the distance of a hundred yards。 After carefully ex…
amining the shores of the island； June pointed out to her
companion the fourth soldier； seated； with his feet hang…
ing over the water； his back fastened to a sapling； and
holding a fishing…rod in his hand。 The scalpless heads
were covered with the caps； and all appearance of blood
had been carefufly washed from each countenance。
Mabel sickened at this sight； which not only did so
much violence to all her notions of propriety； but which
was in itself so revolting and so opposed to natural feeling。
She withdrew to a seat； and hid her face in her apron for
several minutes； until a low call from June again drew her to
a loophole。 The latter then pointed out the body of Jen…
nie seemingly standing in the door of a hut； leaning for…
ward as if to look at the group of men； her cap fluttering
in the wind； and her hand grasping a broom。 The dis…
tance was too great to distinguish the features very accu…
rately； but Mabel fancied that the jaw had been depressed；
as if to distort the mouth into a sort of horrible laugh。
〃June！ June！〃 she exclaimed； 〃this exceeds all I have
ever heard； or imagined as possible； in the treachery and
artifices of your people。〃
〃Tuscarora very cunning；〃 said J